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New Rutgers offensive coordinator Ron Prince wants unit to be more flexible

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Ron Prince, introduced today as Rutgers' offensive coordinator, is hoping to re-energize Gary Nova and a Rutgers offense that ranked near the bottom of the NCAA last season.
(Photo by Noah K. Murray/The Star-Ledger)

With each new offensive coordinator that has come through Piscataway – and Ron Prince is now the fourth in as many years – Rutgers’ pro-style offense has been tweaked to fit that coach’s personality.

So how will it change now that Prince, the former Kansas State head coach, is in charge?

It will have more flexibility.

That was the word used by head coach Kyle Flood and Prince today as Flood – two months removed from saying he didn’t anticipate any staff changes – shuffled nearly half of his staff.

It shakes out like this:

• Prince, 43, takes over as offensive coordinator replacing Dave Brock, who left to become the head coach at Delaware;

• Linebackers coach Dave Cohen was named defensive coordinator. He replaces Robb Smith, who left to coach linebackers for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers;

• Running backs coach Norries Wilson has added the title of assistant head coach, essentially making him second in command;

• Former Rutgers linebacker and safety Anthony Campanile, a defensive graduate assistant last year, is now a full-time offensive assistant in charge of wide receivers and tight ends – the latter because tight ends coach Darnell Dinkins has left “to pursue other personal interests,” Flood said.

• In addition, Darrell Wilson, an Iowa assistant the past 11 seasons, has already settled into his new role as the secondary coach after being hired last week.

“I feel like this has actually been pretty easy,” Flood said of the flurry of unexpected hirings. “Last year I had to hire eight guys. So this has been a little less work than last year.”

Of all the new faces, Prince faces the biggest challenge, trying to resuscitate a failing unit. Rutgers finished 104th nationally last year in total offense, 103rd in rushing and 96th in scoring.

“Coach Flood and I had a shared vision of what the offense will look like and the flexibility that we’re trying to make sure that we build on going forward,” said Prince.

Prince was the offensive coordinator at Virginia from 2003-05 before becoming Kansas State’s head coach from 2006-08 (his 17-20 record included a 37-10 Texas Bowl loss to Rutgers in 2006). He spent 2010-11 as the offensive line coach for the Indianapolis Colts and last season served in the same capacity for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“Ron brings with him a wealth of experience, certainly at the Division 1 level but also at the NFL level, a lot of experience as a playcaller,” Flood said. “I’m really anxious to see what he can do with our offense with the experience he’s had the past couple of years both in Indianapolis with the Colts and in Jacksonville with the Jaguars.”

But the pro-style approach will remain.

“What we are because of what we’ve recruited ourselves to be is a pro style offense,” Flood said, adding that he sees Prince being able “to use all of the personnel groups, (with) the ability to always get the ball in the hands of the better playmakers in your offense. I think you’ll see more of that as we go forward.”

Cohen said he “excited” by his new role overseeing the defense, despite the loss of seven starters on that side of the ball.

“Obviously, we’re losing some very good players,” he said. “But the cupboard is far from bare and we’re excited to get these young players ready to go.”

He said he hopes to pick up where Smith and former coach Greg Schiano left off, with the same philosophy and aggressive approach on defense.

"I just want to add to a great tradition," said Cohen, who has previously served as defensive coordinator at Western Michigan, Delaware and Fordham.